Hanging out with Robin, Matthias and Emil July 2017

We drove from Binghamton to Chicago on July 8 and met up with Robin, Matthias, Emil and Mom and Dad on Sunday, July 9 (so Benjamin can do the CIT program at Camp Sertoma that week) in Maggie Daley Park.

Laua and Matthias did the climbing wall and Emil happily scootered around for a while.

After a picnic lunch we took an architectural boat tour.

and then checked in at the Embassy Suites for the night.  We met up with the rest of the group for dinner at Eataly Restaurant.  Emil was excited to choose a fish shaped pizza for dinner.

Monday Robin wanted to go shopping so we went to the Alder Planetarium

 and walked around for a few minutes in the McCormick Bird Sanctuary along Lake Michigan.

Then we briefly visited Ian at the University of Chicago.  After a tour of his lab we headed off to Saugatuck, Michigan.

On the way, we stopped at Aldi for food.  Our room at the Beachway Resort had a kitchen so that Dave could spend the vacation cooking 3 meals a day for our party of 10.  Fortunately we picked up Salmon because Emil loves fish.

Tuesday we went to Oval Beach.

Wednesday we explored Saugatuck in the afternoon because it was too windy for boating then hiked at River Bluff Park.

We enjoyed dinner at Wally's in the evening. Thursday morning we hiked at Dune State Park in the morning.

After lunch, we took the chain ferry across the Kalamazoo River and finally went kayaking and paddleboarding.

Kids turning the crank on the chain ferry.

Thursday evening, Dave cooked while Laura and Emil served dinner.  Friday we walked up to the top of the Mt. Baldhead near the Beachway hotel.

At lunchtime we left to go home.

Laura and Emil outside out hotel room getting ready to serve dinner.

Emil enjoyed playing games at the Beachway.